Yankees: 3 non-Trevor Story Rockies players NYY should chase at deadline

No, the New York Yankees will not be trading for Rockies shortstop Trevor Story at the trade deadline.

Imagine them just … doing that, though? Throwing caution to the wind? Big laughs from me. Nope.

Gleyber Torres, Luke Voit and Gio Urshela definitely have not earned permanent residence in the Yankees’ infield, but it’s tough to see an infield shakeup of that magnitude coming prior to this offseason’s shortstop frenzy.

Alright, so … the Rockies are still on the phone. Who else are we asking for?

The Yankees’ season may be over, but they could use reinforcements across the board. Anyone who wants to hit from the left side of the plate is welcome to join the 2022 roster. The bullpen, once thought to go five deep, actually teeters between one and two effective players depending on who’s resting on the COVID-IL. The rotation? It’s Gerrit Cole, a few No. 5 starters, and … you? Would you like to pitch?

Donating a haul for Story just doesn’t seem to be in the cards. If the Yanks were two or three games up on the Wild Card chase and wanted to solidify their position while simultaneously tracking down the Red Sox, fine. But that’s not the gambit here.

Luckily, the Rockies do have one of the most interesting last-place rosters in baseball (and are actually a good team at home!). There’s some other talent there that fits New York’s short- and long-term needs.

These 3 Rockies — no, not Trevor Story — could help the Yankees at the trade deadline.

3. Mychal Givens, RHP

Mychal Givens would be here for a good time, not a long time, but he’d be a worthwhile flyer to tack onto any Colorado trade all the same.

There’s no reason for the Yankees to inquire about the sidearm-slinging righty reliever all by his lonesome, but why not expand any potentially larger deal to include this remarkably consistent bullpen force, especially considering no one beyond Chad Green and Jonathan Loaisiga have been helpful all year long?

The mountain air was no great help to Givens when he arrived in Colorado at last year’s deadline (why did that happen?), as he posted a Yankees-esque 6.75 ERA in 10 games. This year, however, he’s grown more accustomed to the parameters of the job, as he’s back to his old self, spinning a 2.92 mark with 26 Ks in 24.2 innings.

Should he be the centerpiece of a deadline deal? Well, no. But in terms of an additional piece, we’d rather add Givens for the road (and potentially sign him to a cheap one-year deal after the season ends) than grab a top-40 prospect lottery ticket. This bullpen needs live arms.

2. German Marquez, RHP

It’s going to take an awful lot for the Yankees to add German Marquez, and we’re not sure if the spirited sendoff on the mound at Coors Field for the All-Star Game increased or decreased his chances of moving at the deadline or during the offseason.

What we do know is that the narrative’s flipped a little bit. Once seen as a starter with excellent stuff and a great pitch mix who wasn’t entirely able to live up to his pedigree because of his home ballpark, Marquez has now largely mastered that difficult-to-handle setting (3.06 ERA AT COORS!) and leveled up on the road, posting a 3.86 mark in all other ballparks. Maybe he’s letting his guard down a little bit when the theoretical challenge is less intense. Who knows?

Oh, and he’s still just 26.

Everyone should be asking about Marquez, a prototypical throwback pitcher who’s excelling without a 98 MPH fireball or a bender fans write home about. It’s the whole package that propels him to success — and is also the entire reason the Rockies wisely signed him to a cheap extension, capped by a team option in 2024.

The last time the Rockies held a significant long-term asset (albeit with opt-outs) in Nolan Arenado, though, they sold at the exact wrong time for the exact wrong package. Whenever Marquez is “freed” (is the next, great Rockies team really coming before 2024?), the new braintrust had better hope they pushed “launch” at the correct time. Marquez will cost a significant overpay, but he’s one of very few available guys you proudly overpay for.

Anyone but The Martian.